Track for track-laying vehicles



Nv.4,1947. H. R. MATHEW ETA; 2,4 0, 5

- TRACK FOR TRACK-LAYING VEHICLES Filed Oct. 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet liNVENTOR HARRY RAY MATHENY '8B$AYMOND KEEFER M,fl &lT f m ATTORNEY Nov.4, 1947. v H. i2. MATHENY 'ET AL 2,430,354

TRACK FOR TRACK-LAYING VEHICLES Filed 001:. 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG. 4'.

HARRY xv :535 NY 8 $AYMOND KEEFE Patented Nov. 4, 1947 UNITED. STATESPATENT OFFICE Barry Math'c'ny, Highland Park, and Ray- .m'ond Keefer,Detroit, Mich., assignors to' Chrysler 'Gor'poration, Highland Park,Mich a corporationflf Delaware Applieationoctober 9, 1942, Serial No.461,384

:11 Glaims. 1

This invention relates to a track for tracklaying vehicles andparticularly to an improved track shoe for the same.

The principal object of our invention is to provide an all metal-shoewhich consists entirely of stamped parts.

Another-object is to provide animproved metal track shoe having theg-rou'ser formed integrally therewith.

-A further obj ect is to provide a -s-tam-ped -track shoe which may beassembled froma minimum number of different stamped shapes.

A still further object resides our improved means for retaining thestamped plates in assembled relation.

'Other objects andadvantages will be apparent from the followingdes'cription which discloses preferred forms of the invention.

In the accompanyingdrawihg's,

Fig. 1 is a general view of -a'track-laying 'v'ehicle of the militarytype which incorporates our improved track.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view or our improved track shoe.

Fig. 3i's a section along line .'l----3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a section along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one'of the stamped plates from whichthes'hoe is assembled.

Fig.6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of a modified type of stamping.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a shoe illustrating onemethod of fastening the plates together.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective of the shoe, parts being broken away toshow constructional details common to all of the different forms.

Fig. '9 is a fragmentary "section of a shoe'sho'wing another methodofiast'ening'the plates.

. Referring to the drawing it may be seen that our improved shoe, whichis generally designated by reference numeral 10, is made up of aplurality of plates ll. In the particular example illustrated '48 platesare used, bu't this number may of course,'vary in accordance with theweight of the vehicle.

The plates ll maybe of cast, rolled or stamped construction, but are.preferablylstamped from inch steel plate of suitable composition.Grouser tabs I! are formed integrally on the plates ll duringstamping-and, in order that the plates may be assembled to provide agrouser of the desired chevron shape, two different stamped shapes areprovided. These two shapes are identical except for the location ofthegrouser tab 12, which inone case is disposed nearer the 2 center ofthe plate. Only two 'di-fiercnt positions of the tab H are required, thechevron "shape of the grouser being obtained by reversing the positionof one half of the'plates tosecure the necessary orientation. Thepreferred method of assembly of the plate's is illustrated clearlyin'Fig. .2 from which showing it is obvious how the plates are assembledrelatively to one another to secure "the desired relationship of tabs.

The plates II are provided with :holes M for receiving the link pins1'6, and "an opening .15 which serves to lighten the structure. The linkpins 16 protrude a substantial distance beyond each end of the shoe forfastening to the shackle members I! which form the articulatedconnecting means between adjacent shoes.

In assemblin the shoe, the :plates H are first assembled "in properrelation and a split tube of thin wall section is inserted in each ofthe holes M of the assembled plates. These tubes, designated I9, arebest shown in Figs. 4 and 8. After insertion they are peened over ateach end (Fig. 4) to thereby retain the plates in assembly. The holes ofthe end plates are preferably ground slightly bell-shaped to facilitatethe engagement of the end portions of the tubes and to secure a tightlock.

The .link pins 16 have rubber bushings 1-8 molded thereon. Thesebushings in their uncompressed state are of considerably greaterdiameter than the interior of the tubes 19 and are spaced from oneanother. on the link pins. By the use of a suitable insertion fixturethe link pins are inserted into the tubes [9, the bushings 18 beingcompressed under relatively great pressure such that the rubber flowsaxially of the pinsto completely fillthe space between the respectivepins and the tubes.

The compression of the rubber bushings l8 subjects the relatively thinwalled tube l9 to high radial pressure which results in the tube beingdeformed to conform to the irregularities of the hole caused by theroughness and slight nonregistering relation of the holes I4 of thestamp- Tings. This results in the tubes I9 gripping each individualplate as shown in Fig. 4 and a tightly locked assembly results.

Experimental tests under severe conditions have demonstrated that noother means for holding the plates in assembled relation is necessary.As a matter of fact, when the shoes are used in service, working of theplates, pins and bushings causes the tubes l8 to deform to a greaterextent and the shoe becomes to all 55 intents and purposes a solidstructure.

In instances where rubber bushings under less pressure are used, ormetal ,or plastic bushings are used some other means for retaining theplates in assembled relation is necessary.

Figs. 6 and 9 illustrate a form of the invention wherein each of theplates H is subjected to a coining operation for forming an indentationaround one side of each of the holes [4 and an extrusion around theopposite side thereof.

These indentations 20 and extrusions 2i (Fig. 6)

cooperate upon assembly to form an interlock as clearly shown in Fig. 9.

Another method, illustrated in Fig. '7, consists in providing recesses22 in each of the plates H at the time of stamping, and after assemblywelding a reinforcing and retaining element 23 in each of the groovesformed by the aligned recesses.

Still another method comprises copper plating every other stamping andplacing the assembled shoe in a hydrogen brazing furnace whereupon theindividual plates are copper-hydrogen brazed to one another.

The interlocking construction, the welded beads 23 or thecopper-hydrogen braze may be used individually or they may be combinedif an exceptionally strong shoe is required. Any of these features eithr singly or in combination may be used with the friction lock meansillustrated. It

has, however, been experimentally determined that the friction lockshoes which depends solely on the adhesion between the tubes l9 and therough surface of the holes M are satisfactory for all expected loads,and this shoe is more economical and easier to construct than thoserequiring additional machine or furnace operations.

Although but several specific embodiments of the invention are hereinshown and described, it will be understood that various changes in thesequence of operations, steps and materials employed may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a track for track-laying vehicles, a track shoe comprising aplurality of plates assembled in face-to-face relation, each of theplates being provided with openings adapted to register with similaropenings in adjacent plates, a lock pin disposed in each set ofopenings, each of said openings having an extruded lip adapted to engagethe opening in an adjacent plate thereby to prevent movement betweenplates.

2. In a laminated track shoe, means for securing the laminationstogether comprising an opening extending through the laminations; a thinwalled tube in said opening, said tube being peened over at each endthereof around the ends of the opening; a link pin disposed in said tubehaving a rubber bushing fixed thereon and r tained in radial compressionby said tube, the radial compressive force thereof being sufficient todeform said tube and force it into intimate engagement with the interiorof said opening.

3. The method of fabricating a track shoe which comprises stamping fromsheet stock a plurality of laminations having openings therein adaptedto register upon assembly of the laminations to provide an elongatedhole through the shoe, forming on the respective laminations duringstamping a projecting tab; assembling the laminations in predeterminedpattern to provide a substantially flat upper track surface and anirregular lower track surface; inserting a relatively thin walled tubein said opening, and inserting in said tube a link pin and a mass of 4rubber surrounding the link pin, the mass having before insertion anouter diameter greater than that of the inner diameter of the tube andthereby being compressed after insertion so as to force the tube intointimate engagement with the hole in the laminations.

4. The method of fabricating a track shoe which comprises stamping fromsheet stock a plurality of laminations having openings therein adaptedto register upon assembly of the laminations to provide an elongatedhole through the shoe, forming on the respective laminations duringstamping a projecting tab, forming a lip around each of said openings,assembling the laminations in predetermined pattern such that therespective lips interlock with the adjacent openings and the tabs forman irregular lower track surface, and securing the laminations together,

5. A track shoe comprising a plurality of laminations having anintegrally formed tab at one edge thereof, said laminations beingassembled with the tabs protruding outwardly from the body of the shoeto form a grouser, certain of said tabs being offset with respect to theother tabs to impart a definite tread pattern for the grouser, eachlamination being formed with a projecting lip on one side and a recesson the other side, the projecting lip of one lamination engaging therecess in an adjacent lamination to prevent movement of the laminationswith respect to one another.

6. In a track for track-laying vehicles, a track shoe comprising aplurality of plates assembled in face-to-face relation, each of theplates being provided with openings adapted to register with similaropenings in adjacent plates, a lock pin disposed in each set ofopenings, each of said openings having at one side of a plate aprojecting lip and at the other side a depression, the projecting lipsengaging the depressions to prevent relative movement between theplates.

7. In a track for track-laying vehicles, a track shoe comprising aplurality of plates assembled in face-to-face relation, each of theplates being provided with openings adapted to register with similaropenings in adjacent plates, a lock pin disposed in each set ofopenings, each of said openings having at one side of a plate aprojecting lip and at the other side a depression, the

projectin lips engaging the depressions to prevent relative movementbetween the plates, the plates being brazed to one another also toprevent relative movement.

8. A track shoe comprising a plurality of laminations having anintegrally formed tab at one edge thereof, said laminations beingassembled with the tabs protruding outwardly from the body of the shoeto form a grouser, certain of said tabs being ofiset with respect to theother tabs to impart a definite tread pattern for the grouser, the edgeof each lamination opposite the tab being formed with recesses, therecesses of the laminations being aligned on assembly of the laminationsto form grooves, and reinforcing and retaining elements laid in thegrooves and metallically bonded to the laminations.

9. In a track for track-laying vehicles, a track shoe comprising aplurality of plates assembled in face-to-face relation, each of theplates being provided with openings adapted to register with similaropenings in adjacent plates, a lock pin disposed in each set ofopenings, each of said openings having at one side of a plate aprojecting lip and at the other side a depression, the projectbeingbrazed to one another also to prevent relative movement, the edge ofeach plate opposite the tabbeing formed with recesses, the recesses ofthe laminations being aligned on assembly of the plates to form grooves,and reinforcing and retaining elements laid in the grooves andmetallically bonded to the plates.

10. A method of making a track shoe, comprising forming in each of aplurality of laminations having a projecting tab at one edge and anopening, a recess at one side of the lamination about the opening and aprojecting lip at the other side about the opening by applying pressureabout the opening at the said one side of the lamination, assembling thelaminations so as to cause the projecting lips of the laminations tointerlock with the recesses of the adjacent laminations and the tabs toform an irregular track surface, and securing the laminations together.

11. A track shoe comprising a stack of laminations having alignedopenings, a thin wall tube positioned in said openings, a link pinpositioned in the tube, and a rubber bushing positioned between saidtube and said pin and being under radial compressive force suflicient todeform the tube into intimate engagement with the aligned openings inthe stack of laminations.

